Prevention of youth violence

Youth violence is widely recognized as a major public health problem. Concern over the number of youth affected by violence in their homes, communities, and in schools has precipitated considerable discussion in the popular press and in professional journals. This article reviews recent activity to reduce youth violence with an emphasis on activity taking place in Maryland. The number of youth murdered or exposed to violence in Maryland remains too high. Although most of our youth are resilient, they are not unaffected by the violence that surrounds them. Exposure to violence places children at high risk for a variety of emotional and behavioral problems, such as poor academic performance, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and inadequate socialization and development.